New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone made a surprising call ahead of Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox, leaving second baseman Jazz Chisholm out of the starting lineup in favor of veteran Amed Rosario.
Rosario, typically used as a utility player, will start at second base. Jose Caballero also drew the start over Ryan McMahon at third, while power-hitting catcher Ben Rice was left out as well, in favor of both Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells.
Chisholm has been a major contributor for New York this season, posting career highs with 31 home runs and 80 RBIs. His absence raised questions before the pivotal matchup at Yankee Stadium.
Boone cited matchups as the primary reason. The Red Sox are starting ace left-hander Garrett Crochet, who dominated during the regular season with 18 wins, a 2.59 ERA and a league-leading 255 strikeouts. Boone told reporters, including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, that the decision was “pretty much” about lefty-righty balance, as Rosario bats from the right side.
Defensive struggles may also have factored into Boone's decision. Chisholm committed 19 errors across 130 games, ranking second amongst all second baseman and fourth highest in the major leagues.
Boone indicated Chisholm is still likely to appear off the bench, particularly once Crochet exits.
On the mound, the Yankees will counter with Max Fried. The left-hander led the majors with 19 wins to go along with a 2.86 ERA, setting up a marquee pitching duel to open the series.